Fat cleavage



' Patented Jan. 12, 1932 UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE-f HEINRICH nausea,or cnmrmrz, (minim, assmnon ro n. rm. 120m mrmr- GESELLSCHAI'T, orcnrmm'rz, (1mm, x conrona'rzox or onnmr ra'r omavaen Ho Drawing.Application and August as, 1920, Serial m. asacas, and in GermanyOctober 17', ms.

The lipolysis or cleavage of fats and oils has been performed hithertowithout employing high pressures by heating the same with pure water orwater which is only 5 slightly acidulated', the fat or oil to be treatedhaving a cleavage facilitating a ent added to it in the form of aproduct obtained by the sulphonation of a mixture of a fatty acid (or ahardened castor oil) with a hydrocarbon of the benzene series. .The useof sulpho-acids of the petroleum hydrocarbons has also been proposed forthe samepurpose.

The object of the present invention is to provide an alternative classof suchclevage facilitating additions. Such are the substances formed bythe sulphonation of mixtures of the alcohols corresponding to the higherfatty o bons. These are. excellently suited for the cleavage of fattyacid esters of all kinds, particularly of fats and oils, and areconsiderably superior in their efficacy to the hitherto known lipolyticagents, especially to the arcmatic fatty sulpho-acids. Their greatersuitability exhibits itself both in the more rapid progress of thecleavage process and alsoin the particular purity of the cleavageproducts obtained which are almost pure white. The differences are duepresumably to the better emulsifying powers of the novel cleavage a entstowards water-insoluble substances suc as fatt acid esters.

The lipolytic me ia employed according to this invention may beprepared, for example, as follows Molecular proportions of olein alcoholand naphthaline are mixed while warming. The m ixtu-re is treated with asulphonating agent 40 such as concentrated sulphuric acid, and isallowed to stand until the reaction is completed. Excess sulphuric acidmay be washed .out of the reaction mixture with water.

The oily- 'sulp'honation product is added to the fatty acid ester to betreated, for instance the fat or oil, the necessary pro ortion generallynot exceeding 1%. The w ole isthen heated with water whereby smoothclea'rageof the ester into fatty acid and acids with benzene hydrocar-'alcohol takes place without any substantial decomposition ordiscolouration of the 'cleav age products.

As examples of the alcohols which maybe employed .in the formation'ofthe fat-splitting reagent, there may be named laurin alcohol, oleinalcohol, cet 1 alcohol and stemin alcohol. These alcoho s may bereferred to generically and definitely as those alcohols I derived fromhigher fatty acids having more tha'i0 8 (iarbon attomlsl, b Hrezpgcementof the car on yt e 2 cup.

An of the fnembers of the b ehzene series may lie employed, includingbenzene, naphthalene, an anthracene.

The exact structure of the reage'nt'cannot be definitel given. However,it is believed that the aliyl radical of the alcohol joins directly withthe aryl radical of the hydrocarbon thereby eliminating water, and thatthe simultaneous or subsequent sulphonation introduces'a sulphonic groupat another point on the aryl radical.

Example One part by weight of the sulphonationproduct derived bysulphonating olein alcohol in the presence of naphthalene is added toand stirred carefully into 100 parts by weight of molten tallow. Then 50parts by weight of water are added 'and t e mass brought to a boil bythe introduction .of

steam. After about 10 hours, the cleavage is substantially complete. Themass is then allowed tosettle. Finally, the glycerin and water are drawnofi.

I claim 1. The process of cleaving fatty acid esters comprising heatinga fatty acid ester in the presence of water and an agent composed of asulphonation product derived from the treatment with a sulphonatingagent of a mixture ofa hydrocarbon of the benzene series.

and an 9.100 01 correspondin in the number of carbon atomsto a higheratty acid.

2. Inthe process of cleaving fatty acidesters by heating in the presenceof water, the step comprising treating said fatty acid esters duringsaid heating in the presence of water, with an alkyl derivative of asulphonated aromatic hydrocarbon in which said alkvl radical corres ondsto a higher fatty aci in the number carbon atoms contained therein.

3., The process of cleaving fats and oils 55 comprising adding thereto asulphonation product produced by sulphonating a mixture of a hydrocarbonor" the benzene series with an alcohol derived from a higher fatty acidby replacement of the carbonyl group with re a (ll-LOH group, and thenheating in the presence of Water 4. A process according to claim 3wherein the proportion of the .sulphonation product does not exceedabout one per cent.

5. In the process of splitting fatty acid esters by heating in thepresence of water, the step comprising treating said esters during saidheatin in the presence of water also with a sma quantity of a fatsplitting agent derived from the treatment with a sulphonating agent ofa mixture of a hydrocarbon of the benzene series with an alcohol derivedfrom a higher fatty acid havin more than 8 carbon atoms by rrzplacemento? the carboxyl group by the CH H group.

DR. HEINRICH BEBTSCH.

